The Association Between Oral and Mental Health

Abstract

Patients with mental disorders, neuromuscular disorders, and psychiatric disorders are exposed to many oral and dental disease risk factors. It's difficult to overlook the connection between oral and mental health. The behavioural effects of stress, depression, and anxiety are the most obvious explanation for the correlation. These disorders cause people to lose attention to their oral health habits, leading to serious dental problems. Depression, for example, may lead to people brushing and flossing at irregular times, skipping dentist appointments, eating unhealthy foods, and self-medicating with cigarettes.while the connection between mental health and overall physical health has been extensively researched, little attention has been paid to the relationship between mental health and dental health.

The rising number of people suffering from mental illnesses is a worldwide problem. People who suffer from psychiatric conditions have a higher risk of co-morbidity and have substantially worse oral health than the general community. Their oral health, on the other hand, is largely unnoticed and unaddressed [1] Mental and dental health are linked, with poor mental health leading to poor oral hygiene, leading to social anxiety and low self-esteem. Dental anxiety is one of the most visible mental health disorders that directly impact oral health. Dental anxiety is described as a fear of going to the dentist, whether for an operation or a routine checkup [2]. These fears can derive from a negative experience, a fear of dental equipment such as needles and drills, or anxieties passed down from others' experiences. Dental anxieties may lead to a dental phobia, causing patients to stop going to the dentist entirely, resulting in more serious oral health concerns such as gum disease or early tooth loss, as well as physical health issues such as heart disease or lung infections.

On the other hand, neuromuscular disorders can undoubtedly have a variety of effects on the oral cavity. The oral and maxillofacial area is affected by a wide number of neuromuscular disorders. During the intra-oral and extra-oral examination, oral physicians find defects in the dentition, soft tissues, and occlusion caused by these disorders. Patients with neuromuscular conditions must also be handled with extra caution during dental treatment.